


The Next Full Moon

by Drarry_Quite_Contrary



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Azkaban, Bittersweet Ending, Dark, Emotional Hurt, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Hurt No Comfort, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Loss, M/M, Podfic Welcome, Post-Second War with Voldemort, Unbreakable Vow (Harry Potter), Unhealthy Relationships, Voldemort Lives (Harry Potter), do not post on other sites
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:15:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27765097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drarry_Quite_Contrary/pseuds/Drarry_Quite_Contrary
Summary: Hermione has spent ten years holding Draco—and herself—together. When the past comes back to haunt her, she must face what she spent a decade trying to forget.**Now with art!**Art byDrarry_Quite_Contrary
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	The Next Full Moon

**Author's Note:**

> ***All characters created and owned by J.K. Rowling***

“Draco?”

Hermione looked down the dark, damp corridor of Azkaban Prison. She was already on edge; the Dementors had done their job well. Having her husband by her side was the only comfort she would have, but it gave her the strength she did not possess. 

But...he wasn’t there.

“Draco, this isn’t funny!” She twirled around, furiously searching the dark corridor. No Draco. She could feel the tears welling. “Fucking bastard!”

A slow, menacing laugh echoed from a distant cell. Hermione froze. “Who...who’s there?”

“Who do you think it could be, my pet? Did you not come all this way...for me?”

_No_.

“You’re mistaken. If I had known...I would never have come. We were just—”

“What, exactly?” A slender, bone-white hand beckoned her through the bars. “Come closer, Hermione. I don’t bite.”

Rage rolled through her body. Sick, twisted man. How could he? “Fuck, you.”

Another cruel laugh. “I see you don’t appreciate my gift.”

She took careful steps toward the cell. “You took everything from me,” she spat. “How is taking one’s life a gift?”

“Oh, I didn’t take anything from you, my pet. I speak of course of the Malfoy boy.”

Tears poured down her face. Yes. It was a gift. Sparing Draco after everything...but that didn’t change anything. “I don’t want to hear it. I hope you rot in hell!”

“Hermione…”

Her eyes widened. She turned her head slowly. “Draco?”

“What are you...why are you _here?”_ Draco’s face flashed with betrayal.

“Draco, I—I lost you! Where _were_ you?”

Draco’s brow furrowed, he shook his head. “Lost me? You _left_ me. Left me _alone_ with my father.” His voice cracked.

Hermione’s mouth went dry. No. How? “...I would never.”

Draco only visited Lucius at his mother’s request. A torturous endeavor. Nightmares consumed Draco for weeks after each visit—screaming and writhing. It had been his fault. All Lucius’ fault. Harry was gone, and Hermione was left to pick up the pieces. Hermione had promised Draco would never have to be alone, even if their marriage was built on survival. Ron was gone. Harry was gone. They were alone—together.

“Funny how she happened upon me almost as if she was called here.”

“You!” Draco’s face was a combination of loathing and terror. He was shaking. When the shaking started, it did not stop. “What have you done to her?”

“Done? Why it’s been long done.” The painfully beautiful face of Tom Riddle smiled at Draco.

“Hermione...what’s going on?”

“I couldn’t tell you. It was so long ago.” Hermione rubbed her right forearm as if she could still see the band of light.

“An Unbreakable Vow, of course.” Tom took a seat on his cot as if it were a throne. “She begged me not to harm Mr. Potter or Mr. Weasley. However, if Lucius wanted to take things into his own hands, well...I cannot be blamed for that, can I?”

Draco paled. Hermione knew the mention of Harry’s name would rip open the wounds she had long been trying to heal. Her own stitches pulled, ready to burst free. 

“What did she give you?” he pleaded before whipping his head toward Hermione. “What did you give him?!”

“The...locket.” The final piece to ending Tom forever. She had been so selfish. So naive to think she could move on, living her life in peace with those she loved. Untouched by the evil that Tom would continue to unleash. People would die, and Hermione would have let them. “I tried, Draco…” She sobbed into her hands.

“Although...I still don’t have that locket, my pet. I gave you time, in exchange for my...failure to save those precious to you. But now I demand you deliver it to me. The Full Moon approaches. I would hate to miss it.”

“Full Moon?” asked Draco.

“The locket can only be opened during the Full Moon of the Twentieth Day of the Seventh Month of the Two-Thousand and Seventh Year.”

“20-07-2007,” breathed Hermione.

“That’s right. You have three days, or I will assume the vow has been broken—and you will die.”

Draco gulped. “If the locket isn’t opened...what then?”

“That Diary of mine your father provided the Weasley girl so generously kept me alive, but only just. If the part of my soul in that locket is lost...I am as well. A pity, really. I have so many plans.” He let out an annoyed sigh. “Now enough chit chat. I am quite tired. I look forward to your return.”

* * *

When they arrived at Malfoy Manor, Hermione did not dare approach the shaking Draco. “You’ll give him the locket.”

“Draco.”

“Give him the locket!” he snarled. 

She recoiled from him, but he reached out his hands, grasping her arms. “Hermione. I can’t do this without you.”

“I know. But I can’t go on knowing that there was something I could have done—still could do. To end everything. For good.” She looked at the blond with glistening eyes, full of desperation. “They’re gone, Draco. Tell me, honestly. What would you do in my place?”

“I,” he choked and dropped his head. “I’m sorry.”

“I know.” She brushed her thumb against his cheek. “We tried. We really tried. But we knew this wasn’t going to end in a Happily Ever After. That dream died ten years ago. _We_ died ten years ago.”

Draco nodded at her before pulling her into a gentle embrace. “Together?”

“Until the very end.”

**Author's Note:**

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